Google News Optimization and SEO for Digital Publishers

Digital publishers often ask, "How can we reach more people who want to engage with our content?" This question encompasses several metrics—traffic, page views, unique visits, loyal visitors, subscribers, sharers, and more. Increasingly, the answer lies in search engines, and Google, the most dominant one, is a crucial source for news readers. Therefore, optimizing for Google News and SEO is vital for publishers aiming to increase their visibility.

Consider this insight: In a 2017 report by Edelman, over 60% of respondents trusted Google News as a source more than the individual publishers who create the articles. As trust in mainstream institutions declines, being visible in Google News and search results pages (SERPs) might be the best, if not the only, way to reach some digital news consumers.

This guide breaks down everything you need to know about news SEO, the updated Google News platform, the approval process for your site, and the different news ranking types. It also answers the critical question: “How do I optimize my website for Google News?”

By the end of this guide, you'll understand how to optimize your news site and articles for better Google visibility, ultimately leading to increased readership and engagement.

Table of Contents

1. Google News vs. Organic Search News (5.5 min) 1.1 Google News (2.5 min) 1.2 News Ranking Types in Organic SERPs (3 min)

2. Submitting Your Website to Google (1.5 min)

3. News XML Sitemap/Google News Sitemap (0.5 min)

4. Publisher Types and Website Structure (3 min) 4.1 General Interest Publishers (0.5 min) 4.2 Vertical Publishers (0.5 min) 4.3 Subscription/Paywall Publishers (1 min) 4.4 Structured Data (0.5 min) 4.5 Potential SEO Blockers (1 min)

5. News Ranking Factors (14 min) 5.1 Trustworthiness of Source (1 min) 5.2 Freshness of Content (2 min) 5.3 Keyword Use (8 min) 5.4 User Behavior (1.5 min) 5.5 Article Length (0.5 min) 5.6 Fighting Fake News: Project Owl (1 min)

6. Republishing Articles (1.5 min)

7. Optimizing for Mobile (3.5 min) 7.1 AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) (1 min) 7.2 Mobile News Boxes (1 min) 7.3 Carousels (0.5 min) 7.4 m.dot vs. Responsive Sites (1 min) 7.5 Mobile-Friendly Checker (0.5 min)

8. Importance of Pictures (1 min)

9. Video Integration (0.5 min)

10. Voice Search Optimization (0.5 min)

11. Summary (1 min)

1. Google News vs. Organic Search News

Google News is accessible at news.google.com and as a tab on Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs). This serves as the "homepage" for news within the search engine. In May 2018, Google released a completely redesigned version of Google News. The Google algorithm determines both the topics and the individual articles that appear in each category, dynamically adjusting them based on what it deems relevant.

1.1 Categories

Google News organizes topics and publishers, although, notably, there is no dedicated politics category. Instead, political news appears within Top Stories, U.S., World, and Business.

1.2 Ranking Types

When an article ranks in Google News, it can appear in several forms:

• Picture ranking: Articles with a visual element tend to have better visibility.
• Video ranking: Includes a direct link to a video.
• Text ranking: A headline-only ranking.
• Tags: Google assigns tags like “Highly Cited,” “Opinion,” or “Local Source” to provide additional context to users.

2. Submitting Your Website to Google

To appear in Google News, publishers must go through an approval process. This involves setting up a Google News Publisher Center account and submitting your site for manual review. You'll receive feedback within one to three weeks regarding approval status. If rejected, you can reapply after 60 days.

3. News XML Sitemap

While a standard sitemap is useful, it's highly recommended to create a news-specific XML sitemap following Google’s guidelines. Submit this through Google Search Console to ensure proper indexing.

4. Publisher Types and Website Structure

There are several types of publishers in Google News:

• General interest publishers (e.g., newspapers)
• Vertical publishers (niche-focused content)
• Paywall/subscription publishers

Each type has specific strategies to maximize SEO performance.

5. News Ranking Factors

Several key factors influence news rankings:

• Trustworthiness of the source: Established publishers have an advantage here.
• Freshness of content: Timely updates are crucial.
• Keyword use: Proper keyword placement and optimization are essential.
• User behavior: Google tracks metrics like bounce rate and time on page.
• Article length: Breaking news can be short, but evergreen articles should be 250–350 words.
• Fake news: Google’s Project Owl aims to filter out misinformation.

6. Republishing

Regularly updating articles or republishing them with new timestamps can help maintain rankings in Google News.

7. Mobile Optimization

Mobile is now critical for news publishers:

• AMP: Accelerated Mobile Pages ensure faster load times but limit ad placement.
• Mobile News Boxes and Carousels: These appear prominently in mobile search results, providing valuable traffic opportunities.

8. Pictures

High-quality images are necessary for ranking in news carousels and boxes. Ensure your images are properly formatted for size, resolution, and speed.

9. Video

Video content is becoming increasingly important for SEO. Google recommends creating YouTube channels for better visibility.

10. Voice Search

With the rise of voice search, publishers should start optimizing their content to answer questions directly, making it easier for users of devices like Alexa or Google Home to find relevant news.

News That Ranks

This guide covered the essentials of Google News SEO, including ranking factors, submitting your site to Google News, optimizing for mobile, and the importance of visuals and video. By implementing these best practices, publishers can significantly increase their visibility and traffic from search.